Bengaluru, August 9: Thai veteran Thammanoon Sriroj rolled back the years after signing for a spectacular nine-under-par 62 to lead by four shots following the opening round of the TAKE Solutions Masters on Thursday.

The 49-year-old Thammanoon, a five-time Asian Tour winner by not since 2004, got off to a solid start with five straight birdies from the 10th hole before adding another birdie on 18 to turn in 31.

He nailed three more birdies on the first, third and sixth holes but dropped his only bogey of the day on the seventh hole. The experienced Thai, however, bounced back swiftly with a birdie on the par-three eighth after hitting his tee shot to within three feet.

Young Thai duo Danthai Boonma and Suradit Yongcharoenchai shared second place with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, Argentinean Miguel Carballo and local prospect Feroz Singh Garewal after they cardedmatching rounds of 66s at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

India’s rising star Khalin Joshi was amongst those bunched in seventh place after he carded a 67 on his home course. Defending champion Poom Saksansin of Thailand battled to a 71 to tie in 64th position at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Did you know?

• Thammanoon Sriroj is one of Thailand’s most successful golfers with five titles on the Asian Tour. He claimed his fifth victory in China in 2004.
• Thammanoon’s four-shot advantage is the largest 18-hole lead on the Asian Tour so far this season.
• Thammanoon is using a near brand-new set of clubs this week. Apart from his putter and sand wedge, the other clubs are new.
• The Thai veteran hit only seven fairways but found 15 greens and needed only 24 putts in his solid round of 62.
• Earlier in January, Thammanoon regained his Asian Tour card by making the grade at the grueling 90-hole Qualifying School where he finished in tied-11th place.
• He marked his best result on Tour so far this season at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open in May where he came in tied-11th.
• In 2015, Thammanoon secured his first win on the Asia Development Tour after prevailing in a play-off at the Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship.
• Danthai Boonma made his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie last month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series. The young Thai, however, failed to make the cut in his first Major after signing for rounds of 78 and 74.
• Danthai is a one-time Asian Tour winner. He claimed his breakthrough at the 2015 World Classic Championship in Singapore. Also a one-time winner on the Asian Development Tour where he won the 2016 Boonchu Ruangkit Championship.
• Danthai sits in a current 24th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.
• Danthai is a double gold medalist at the 2012 South East Asia (SEA) Games.
• Danthai missed only three fairways and three greens in his commendable round of 66. He averaged 291 yards off the tee and amassed a total of 28 putts today.
• Feroz Singh Garewal turned professional in 2015 at the age of 17. He trains under Jesse Grewal, who also coaches Indian star Shubhankar Sharma.
• Garewal was a regular player on the Asian Development Tour from 2015 to 2017. Represented his country at the 2014 Asian Games and came in fifth at the Youth Olympics the same year.
• Garewal found only five out of 13 fairways but was able to hit 14 greens in total. He needed only 27 putts in his opening round of 66.
• Scott Vincent is the highest-ranked Asian Tour player in 10th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Vincent’s wife Kelsey is on his bag this week.
• The 26-year-old Vincent, the only Zimbabwean player on the Asian Tour, closed with three straight birdies from the 16th hole to grab a share of second place.
• An eagle-birdie-birdie finish puts Suradit Yongcharoenchai right in the mix as he signed for a 66. The 19-year-old came in seventh last year.

Players’ quotes:

Thammanoon Sriroj (Tha) – First round 62 (-9)

My tee shots were good today but my putting was even better. I made a lot of long putts today. I made my only bogey of the day on the seventh after hitting into the trees but bounced back with a good birdie on the eighth where I hit it to about a foot. I thought I hit it really close but my playing partner Mukesh Kumar hit it even closer.

I have played here a few times. I knew it’s a narrow course and the rough will be tough which doesn’t suit my game. I was thinking much before I started the round. I thought I might missed the cut again but the confidence grew as I head into the round today and I played better and better from there.

I started the round making birdies. At first, I thought I am just lucky but after making five in-a-row, I thought maybe it’s just my talent. I have shot 10 birdies before in Thailand. I have had more birdies in a row too.

I will not expect too much this week because this course doesn’t really suit my game. We will see how it goes tomorrow. I have played in Japan for four years before and I am planning to play the Senior Tour in Japan after I turn 50 next year.

I am using almost a brand-new set of clubs this week and I am feeling comfortable with it. Only my putter and my sand-wedge are old. The rest of the clubs are new this week.

Danthai BOONMA (Tha) – First round 66 (-5)

I played really good today. I started well with three birdies in my opening five holes. I hit my tee shots very well. I putted well as well. I was able to hit it close for birdies on two of the par-threes too.

I started from the 10th hole today and my first birdie of the day on 13th got my round going. I hit close to about three feet before making the putt. The course is in good condition this week. It’s pretty wet compared to last year.

It was quite windy in the morning but I enjoyed myself out there. I like the challenge. I am feeling confident with my game right now, especially after playing at The Open earlier although I missed the cut there. Looking forward to the rest of the week. I will try my best.

Feroz Singh GAREWAL (Ind) – First round 66 (-5)

I hit it really close on the eighth hole, played eight-iron off the tee. And 10, 11 and 12 I hit it really close so I converted those. Then on the 18th I made a long putt for a birdie – nine yards, about 27 feet.

Not a good driving day for me. Was struggling off the tee. Made a few up and downs in the beginning and that sort of got the momentum going. Back 9 was good, I hit nine greens in the back 9.

I dropped a shot on seventh. Hit it left. Then missed the green and then missed up and down. Two bad shots on one hole. 

The course played really good. It is a beautiful golf course. The rough is a little high but it’s in perfect conditions. Wind wasn’t a factor in the morning but later on the day it was a little high up there, but it was fine. It was not swirling, it was just one way so that’s fine. 

I play at the KGA every year. The familiarity with the course always helps. You get used to the conditions so you know where to miss and where not to miss. Even if you are in trouble, you know where to get out. 

Scott Vincent (Zim) – First round 66 (-5)

It was good out there, a lot better than what I was expecting. I hit a lot of greens. I hit the ball very nicely. Didn’t make any putts until the last three holes where I birdied all. It was a nice way to end the day. The longest putt I made today was on the last hole 18th. I had about 15 feet downhill, a little right to left.

The conditions were pretty good. We were pretty lucky with the weather. The rain came when we were walking off the tee box to our second shot. I was just chatting my wife Kelsey, who is on my bag this week, and we were having a good time out there. Obviously easier to do that when you’re playing well. It was a fun day for us.

Playing in the morning tomorrow, hopefully the weather stays and we have the chance to chase down the leader. It’s going to be the same thing for me tomorrow. I didn’t do a good job hitting the fairways today. I hope to do better tomorrow.

Scores after round 1 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

62 – Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA).

66 – Feroz Singh GAREWAL (IND), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA), Miguel CARBALLO (ARG).

67 – Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND), Jake MCLEOD (AUS), Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Anura ROHANA (LKA), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA).

68 – Kapil KUMAR (IND), Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Matt KILLEN (ENG), Jaibir SINGH (IND), Sudhir SHARMA (IND), Aadil BEDI (am, IND), Sam CHIEN (USA), KOH Deng Shan (SIN), M DHARMA (IND).

69 – Aman RAJ (IND), Harimohan SINGH (am, IND), Veer AHLAWAT (IND), Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Casey O’TOOLE (USA), Danny CHIA (MAS), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN), Chikkarangappa S. (IND), Angad CHEEMA (IND), Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA), Kushal SINGH (IND), Ashok KUMAR (IND), Sujjan SINGH (IND), S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND), Jason KNUTZON (USA), Himmat RAI (IND), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), Dodge KEMMER (USA), Mithun PERERA (LKA), Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).

70 – Sanjeev KUMAR (L) (IND), Shakhawat SOHEL (BAN), Tapy GHAI (IND), David GLEESON (AUS), Viraj MADAPPA (IND), CHOO Tze Huang (SIN), Suttijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA), Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND), Digvijay SINGH (IND), Jakraphan PREMSIRIGORN (THA), Akshay SHARMA (IND), Mitchell SLORACH (SIN), Syed Saqib AHMED (IND), Honey BAISOYA (IND), Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Mukesh KUMAR (IND), Amritinder SINGH (IND).

71 – Digraj Singh GILL (USA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), Andrew MARTIN (AUS), Arie Irawan (MAS), Amir NAZRIN (MAS), WANG Wei-lun (TPE), Peradol PANYATHANASEDH (THA), Deepinder Singh KULLAR (IND), Sung LEE (KOR), Abhinav LOHAN (IND), R Mari Muthu (IND), Pawan KUMAR (IND), Anil Bajrang MANE (IND), Paul HARRIS (USA), Arjun SHARMA (IND), N. THANGARAJA (LKA), LIU Yanwei (CHN), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), Rashid KHAN (IND), Nattawat SUVAJANAKORN (THA), Scott BARR (AUS), XIAO Bowen (CHN), Shivendra Singh SISODIA (IND), Amardip MALIK (IND), Sunit CHOWRASIA (IND), Alvin CHEUNG (HKG), Saarthak CHHIBER (am, IND).

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.